Origin Is in `Detailed’ Talks on Coal-Seam Gas Assets (Update1)
By Angela Macdonald-Smith
Aug. 6 (Bloomberg) — Origin Energy Ltd., the Australian company seeking to fend off a A$13.8 billion ($13 billion) bid from BG Group Plc, is in “detailed discussions” with short-listed parties interested in its coal-seam gas business.
A “significant number of large and well-credentialed companies” in the global liquefied natural gas industry made proposals for the coal-seam gas assets, Chairman Kevin McCann said in a letter to shareholders sent today to the Australian stock exchange. The short-listed parties are reviewing confidential information before making final offers, he said.
Origin sought proposals for its coal-seam gas business after rejecting BG’s A$15.50-a-share offer, which it said undervalues its assets. McCann earlier today declined to comment to reporters in Sydney on a newspaper report that Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc are among companies that approached Origin over the assets.
“We will keep you informed of all important stages with the process to accelerate the development of our coal-seam gas reserves and the BG Group’s hostile, highly conditional bid,” McCann said in the letter to shareholders.
Origin rose 4 cents, or 0.3 percent, to A$16.12 in Sydney. The shares have traded above BG’s offer price since the bid was made, indicating some investors expect a higher offer.
Origin separately said its Kenyan oil and gas exploration venture won a six-month extension from the Kenyan energy minister on a deadline to commit to further exploration work in the offshore Lamu Basin. The venture now has until Jan. 21, 2009 to commit to further work in the L8 and L9 blocks, Origin said in a statement to the exchange.
To contact the reporter on this story: Angela Macdonald-Smith in Sydney at[email protected]
Last Updated: August 6, 2008 02:29 EDT
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
MORE DETAILS:
A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
